Circles and Soup
The goal of the game is to efficiently form high-quality plans through retrospective analysis by recognizing factors that are within the team’s control.
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Methods (1507)
Name That Tune
In his book, You Are Not So Smart, David McRaney describes an experiment by Elizabeth Newton that explains the illusion of transparency. This happens during the communication process when others are not privy to same information as we are. While we may think all of our thoughts and feelings are visible to others, we often overestimate the actual transfer of information.
The participants pair up and one partner taps out a familiar song with fingertips. The finger-tapping partner predicts the listener will be able to guess the tune. These partners are surprised to discover that while the tune is obvious to them, their listening partner is unable to guess it.
The Silent Mindmap
A workshop process to create new input or new directions
Job Description in 99 Words
Ask the participants to write what their job means to them in exactly 99 words (no more, no less), and then divide participants to explore and discuss the perception of their jobs.
Customer Service Categories
Players take turns to supply items that belong to a specific category related to customer service. Any player who hesitates too long, repeats a previous item, or supplies an inappropriate item is eliminated. The last player left standing wins the game.
The Secret Profession
The art of questioning to better listen. 2 rounds for the same team to discover the secret profession of the facilitator (or one of the participants).
Circles in the air
Draw circles up in the air with the index finger and observe the way the direction of the circles changes, as we change the vantage point.
Gannt Chart
This process is used to aid in planning projects by showing all activities that have to take place in the chronological order so as to reach a goal.
Distance Makes The Brain Grow Stronger
This interesting exercise replicates research done by Evan Polman of New York University and Kyle Emich of Cornell University on construal level theory. You can find more information about this theory by visiting this page in Psychlopedia: http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=79
The participants work with two different versions of the same problem. One version describes a problem faced by someone else while the other version identifies the problem confronting the reader. The debriefing suggests that it is easier to come up with creative solutions when people are thinking for someone other than themselves.
Introduce yourself by building your personality
We can express our personality in several ways. We can leave the traditional ways (e.g. telling the basic things about ourselves), and through creation, we can introduce ourselves on a more creative way.
Yes, and Picnic
4 conversations about how to listen, acknowledge, and build
This activity helps participants notice the impact of different listening and response styles, especially how we unconsciously block or build on each other’s ideas. Use this when you want to shift communication habits, build awareness of default patterns, and/or teach communication skills.
Go!
This exercise creates an opportunity to talk about team accountability and communication and paying attention to what's not happening (as opposed to what is happening) by having the group move fluidly as one person leaves a place and another enters their spot.